Fur and Feathers
by Xerxez-Tha-Ferret
Summary: Series of oneshots based on the AceDuck pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Fur and Feathers****: Part One Ace/Duck**

Stories about mammal and bird pairings (mostly Rev/Tech and Ace/Duck)

**Story One: Hurt**

It hurt. The first time he realized the object of his desires was the most unattainable thing on the planet. He had hid his feelings well, tricking even himself sometimes… but the want still lingered.

So he hated him for awhile. Then hate would turn to admiration, then… he'd be right back at the beginning and he would hate himself again. It was an endless cycle, it had to stop somewhere. He most certainly would not express himself to said person, cause that would just lead to another cycle, just with different processes.

So, he sat in his room, thinking, trying to find a way out of this. And that's when said person appeared.

"Eh, what's up, Duck? Why so gloomy?"

Suck was now clinging to the ceiling in surprise, not having heard the rabbit come in. He glared from his position.

"What. Do. You. WANT?"

Ace flinched inwardly. He knew something was up, besides the duck on the ceiling.

"I came ta tell ya that Tech wanted ta show us some new invention ah his."

Duck 'quacked' down from the ceiling in front of the rabbit.

"No thanks, I'm sure I'll see it later during some big villain fight."

Ace shrugged his shoulders.

"If you say so, Duck."

Duck watched as he left, the door sliding shut, putting a barrier between them. He sighed.

Unattainable…


	2. Chapter 2

**Story Two: Blind Date**

Duck checked himself twice in the mirror. Today he was going to meet his blind date. Sure, blind dates weren't always the best way to meet people, but it was better than sitting around obsessing over one person.

A male person.

A male rabbit person.

A straight male rabbit person.

He sighed, snapping his tie in place. He was going to enjoy this date, even if it was an acne ridden hippo with hair problems.

Only problem with that is that hippos moved away from central Acmetropolis 400 years ago, but that wasn't the point he was trying to make.

He checked himself one last time in the mirror before 'quacking' to his date's dinner destination.

Duck grumbled to himself, drinking his fourth glass of wine since he sat down. If he had any self-esteem when he got there it was gone now.

"Oh! Dere ya are duck! I've been lookin' everywhere for ya…What are ya doing here…Are you drunk?!"

Duck groaned to himself, why did he have to be here, while he was in the middle of a…well, it wasn't exactly a date when only one of two partners were present.

"I'm…waiting for someone. My date."

"A date? Some girl with long blonde hair and loves to go swimming?"

"Ha ha, very funny."

Ace took a seat across from Duck, pouring himself a glass of wine.

"I hope you plan on paying for that, rabbit."

"You're a terrible date, Duck. I knew I shouldn't have answered that request."

"Yeah, well-wait, what?!"

Ace sipped his wine coolly.

"Well, this is what you wanted, isn't it?"

Duck sputtered, now completely out of his drunken stupor. Fear gripped his heart.

He knows. HE KNOWS!

"H-How?"

"I kind of guessed when you were writing that poem and kept asking everyone what rhymed with 'bunny', 'rabbit', and 'ears'."

Duck raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"How do you know Ii wasn't talking about Lex?"

"Believe me, knowing you, ya would have asked her out by now. Or showered her with gifts."

"But still-"

"Just enjoy yerself, Duck. You can ask all da questions you want afterwards."


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3: Unconditionally

Story 3: Unconditionally

Warning: Depressed Duck

Duck sprawled out on his makeshift bed in the back of the boxcar heading to North Acmetropolis. He didn't know which part, but he also didn't really care. He just wanted to get away from the nightmare he had created back home.

Well, what used to be his home. He couldn't think of it as that any longer, it would just cause that bad feeling to come back and haunt him. And the voice to come as well. He buried his face deeper in to the blanket that covered the prickly straw underneath. He willed his mind to sink into the darkness, hoping for that peaceful dream of his home back on the lake.

It never came.

He sat perched on a desolate landscape in the middle of nowhere that was his mind. He felt his other behind him. He knew it was about to start.

"Did you really think it would actually work out, Danger? That he would love you back, unconditionally, with no strings attached?"

He hated it. It would never leave him alone.

"'Cause if you did, you are as dumb as people make you out to be."

"Shut up."

Why he gave in to the taunting every time he would never know. It was just a part of him to argue relentlessly. He knew the next part that was coming up. It was going to turn ugly.

"Don't worry, Duck. I'll always love without a second thought."

"…I don't want your love."

"Hmmm, hesitation. Not so sure anymore?"

"…"

He felt hot breath in his ear.

"Forget him, Duck. Come back to where you belong. Come back to me."

"Please, just go away…"

"Duck! Duck! Com'on, wake up! Ya scarin me!"

He opened his eyes slowly the blinding white of room making his eyes burn. He looked up slowly at the source of the voice.

"A-Ace?"

The gray rabbit blew out a held in breath and sat down in the chair beside the bed. Duck looked around in apparent confusion.

"Where are we? Did I miss my stop?"

"No, ya didn't. The train did."

Duck glanced at him, still a little bewildered. Ace sighed.

"The train crashed, Duck. Luckily no one was hurt too badly."

Ace's gaze nearly burnt a hole in his head. He already knew the question that was burning in his throat. He coughed slightly to clear his throat.

"I-I was going home, to Bruce."

Ace's face contorted in fury. Duck held both of his hands, both of which were bandaged thickly. Ace quickly sobered down at the sight of the burnt feathers. He took one in his hand and looked at it in quiet contemplation. Duck took that as his cue to go on.

"You see, I caused so much, for lack of a better word, shit to happen back at HQ that I felt it would be better if I had left. You know, like taking the problem and throwing it away would make things better. I had decided that it would be better for me to go back to somewhere that-that I would be out of your hair."

Duck took a deep breath.

"If I went back to Bruce then the problem would be solved. He wouldn't start trouble with you and I would be one less problem. I-I…"

Ace glared down at the hand in his.

"That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard you say. What the hell made you think that you were the problem?! It wasn't you, Idiot, it was that abusive bag of shit that pissed me off to the point of being angry wit' everyone. And besides do you really think that by going back to him would have solved everything? If that train didn't kill you then he sure would've!"

Duck flinched as the hand grabbing his clenched tighter. It wasn't the physical pain that hurt thought.

"I can't believe you thought that by going back to him you-you…"

Ace brought the broken hand up to his face. He kissed it softly.

"I could've lost you, Duck. I-I'm so-"

Duck began to panic.

"Ace, don't! Don't say it! Don't you d-"

Ace pressed a soft kiss to his beak.

"'Bout freaking time!"

Both jumped at the sound of Lexi's voice in the doorway. Suddenly all four of them tumbled through the door. Ace leaped up from his seat, furious.

"Can I get one moment of privacy!? Ya ruined tha moment!"

Duck remained frozen on his place in the hospital bed. Then a splurge of blood gushed out of the nasal passage on his beak as he fainted. Ace was horrified.

Lexi giggled like a school girl at his reaction. She was pleased with how this turned out. She then laughed evilly in her mind.

"_Yesssss, teh slash! Ish mine! All mine! Muwahahaaha!"_


	4. Chapter 4

Story 4: Meeting Bruce Mallard

Warnings: Abusive ex-boyfriends and angry boyfriends

Duck paced the floor worriedly. Today was not a good day. Why didn't he just go to his stupid house yesterday? Now he was coming here and-

"Oh god oh god oh god oh god, what am I going to do? If Ace and he meet it would be a disaster zone, literally!"

He stopped to think.

"Maybe if I caught him before he came inside, then maybe-"

'You'll be taking the brute end of his anger.'

He shuddered remembering how he had to be hospitalized afterward.

'With seven broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a crooked beak'

He started his mantra of 'oh god' all over again, with a few 'oh craps' thrown in for good measure.

'Why am I still with this bastard?!' 'Cause you're afraid of what he might do if you broke up with him' 'but, I have Ace…right? 'Are you sure about that?' 'Well, I-'

Ding Dong!

'…crap'

He heard Tech answer the door with a hello that quickly turned into a-

"AAAAAACCCCCCEEEEEE"

He practically flew downstairs (which wasn't impossible) to stop the conflict that was sure to arise. He could feel the tension as Ace and Bruce stared each other down. He hid behind the stairs, eavesdropping on the practically non-existent conversation. He heard Ace growl.

"He's not going anywhere wit' you"

"You're not the one to decide this, Rabbit."

"Oh, and you are?!"

Bruce sneered.

"Yes, I am. Duck knows better than to go against my wishes."

Duck flinched as Ace narrowed his eyes and Lexi scoffed.

"Egoistical much?"

There was a brief pause before the storm hit. Duck couldn't remember who threw the first punch. He watched as Ace was pulled back by Tech and Bruce was put into an arm lock by Slam. Lexi turned towards the stairs, ears trained on the light gasp she heard. She looked directly at Duck and pleaded with her eyes for him to come out and end this before someone got seriously hurt. He sighed and stepped out from his hiding place. He moved forward stiffly, shoulders squared and jaw tight, until he was directly in front of Bruce.

'He's so gonna kill me and I don't wanna die why me!?'

He began to sweat lightly.

"I-I'm not g-going with you anymore, B-Bruce."

He leapt behind Ace with a squawk as Bruce growled at him furiously. Ace smirked without humor.

"Since he's decided not to go with you today-"

"Or ever."

Lexi turned her nose up at him. Ace smirked.

"You can leave now. Dere's da door."

Bruce shrugged Slam off of him and rolled his neck with a crack. He scowled at the mismatched group before settling his eyes on Ace. He scowled.

"This isn't over, Rabbit."

The broke the door off its automatic wheels and stormed out. Everyone let out the breath they had been holding in tension. Lexi turned to Ace and glared. She poked him in the chest with her fingernail.

"You were about to blast him, Ace! You're the one who is supposed to have the most control. You can't let you're emotion override you're common sense!"

Ace shrugged his shoulders while Duck scratched nervously under his beak.

"Not like it would've worked."

He muttered under his breath. Lexi turned her narrowed eyes on him.

"What do mean it wouldn't have worked?"

He ducked his head as all eyes turned towards him. Lexi stepped forward.

"I'm waiting for an explanation, Duck."

He wrung his hands nervously.

"Umm, w-well, his feathers are m-made of-he's been mutated also? And he's got powers that I didn't want to tell you guys about because you would get angry?"

Silence.

Then in unity.

"WHAT THE HELL, DUCK?!"

"You decide now to tell us this?!"

We-could've-locked-him-up-a-long-time-a-go!"

"Arghh!"

"What if he comes back?!"

"Bluuugarruun?!"

Duck covered his ears from the onslaught of noise and screaming. He grit his teeth in annoyance.

"SHUT UP! This is exactly why I didn't want to tell…"

Ace frowned angrily at Duck before walking off. Duck flinched even as the door slid shut with a soft click. He frowned sadly.

This day couldn't get any worse.

"I'm-just-saying,-you-need-to-go-talk-to-him.-He's-been-locked-in-side-the-training-room-for-hours!-On-the-maximum-level!"

Duck rolled his eyes at Rev's exaggerated movements, but couldn't help feeling worried about Ace. If he kept this up then he would surely injure himself or die from exhaustion.

And he would die from the guilt.

'And a broken heart.'

He swallowed his fear of the confrontation and barged into the simulator. He squealed indignantly as a swarm of robot turned and started firing at him. He 'quacked' back and front across the room in a zigzag motion, trying to avoid getting hit by lasers and all other kinds of weaponry. He almost cried with relief as the machine powered down, taking with it the robots and automatic weapons.

"Trying to get yourself killed again, Duck?"

Danger whipped his head around in the dim light and found the pair of glowing yellow eyes he had been searching for. He breath caught in his throat as he eyed the rabbit who had taken off in shirt in the midst of battle. His face burned with embarrassment as Ace smirked at him.

'Why do I always get caught staring?'

He coughed.

"Rev told me you were overworking yourself, again."

Ace walked over to a pile of robot parts and sat down on one of the bulkier parts. He began to wipe his face with a towel he had hanging around his neck. He chuckled grimly.

"Really. And dat's why you came in here, to check up on me?"

Duck swallowed around the lump that had formed in his throat and nodded. He looked down, trying to find the words that eluded him.

"Ace, I-"

"Save it."

Duck flinched at the harsh reply, words caught in his throat. He stared at his feet before finally looking up.

"You're angry."

Duck flinched a second time as the towel Ace was using was thrown to the floor in a fit of uncontrolled rage.

"He could've killed you so many times, Duck! And yet you still cater to him! And then you hold back information like this from us, of course I'm gonna be angry!"

Duck stepped up closer, anger clear in his expression. He was not the only one at fault!

"Cause I didn't want you to get hurt, you stupid rabbit! I know you, Ace! Anything you see that's wrong you try to confront and set right. By me telling you that he is mutated, you would've put it in your little head that he needs to taken down and would've gone after him!"

Ace's eyes glowed with emotion as he and Duck stared each other down.

"Damn straight, I would've went after him. You know why? Cause I'm tired of seeing come home with that lost and broken look in your eyes, Danger! He's hurting you! I just want-"

He fell silent as a hesitant kiss was pressed against his lips. He pushed back gently for a few seconds before pulling away. His eyes held a drained, sad look to them.

"I…I can't keep doing this, Danger. You gotta make a choice. Me or Him."

He picked his damp towel and left the training room, leaving behind a sad, confused duck with a tough decision to make and the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Duck sighed as he sat down on his bed back in West Acmetropolis, surrounded be empty containers of bird feed flavored ice cream. His body shuddered with a strained sigh as he thought about the task ahead of him. His body stiffened with apprehension as he came to terms with what he was doing.

He was breaking up with Bruce.

No one broke up with Bruce before being broken themselves (literally), and he had the metal plating and screws to prove it. He sat up quickly, feeling nauseous from the stress, only to come face to face with a wall of feathers. He swallowed thickly, a million options running through his head as he was picked up the scruff of neck and made to face his visitor.

Bruce grinned crookedly.

"Welcome home, Love"

AN: Ooohhhhh Shizit! It's 'bout to go down faster than a lead weight in the middle of the ocean!


End file.
